Cooking with Low Protein Foods for Children

Introduction:

As your child gets older, they will be trying a larger variety of foods. Specially manufactured low protein foods will become a main part of their diet and a great base to build a meal around. Here are a few helpful hints and tips for cooking with specially manufactured low protein foods:

Low protein pasta

Helpful hints for cooking low protein Pasta...

  • Make sure the water is boiling rapidly with a little oil in to keep the pasta from sticking together whilst it’s cooking. 
  • Stir constantly for the first 2 minutes when the pasta goes into the boiling water. 
  • Rinse the pasta in cold water after cooking to remove the starch and stop it sticking together if needed. If you would like to eat it hot, warm the sauce and add the cooled pasta to it. 
  • Cooked pasta can be placed in a zip lock bag with a teaspoon of oil to prevent it sticking together. This can be stored in the fridge then microwaved on high for one minute in the zip lock bag to let the steam refresh it before eating. It’s recommended to eat within 2 days of cooking. 
  • Low protein lasagne sheets work best if you soak the sheets in warm water, with a teaspoon of oil for 5 minutes before making up the lasagne. 
  • If you run out of low protein pasta before your next delivery, you can use pasta alternatives such as spiralised zucchini, carrot or pumpkin. Or you can make your own sweet potato gnocchi or ravioli at home!  
  • You could use vegetables like sliced pumpkin instead of low protein pasta sheets in lasagne if you have run out. 
Low protein rice

Helpful hints for cooking low protein rice...

  • Make sure the water is boiling rapidly with a little oil in to keep the rice from sticking together whilst it’s cooking. 
  • Stir constantly with a whisk/fork for the first 3-4 minutes when the rice goes into the boiling water. 
  • Cook for no longer than 9 minutes. 
  • Rinse the rice in cold water after cooking to remove the starch and stop it sticking together if needed. 
  • Rice can be coloured and flavoured by adding ½ teaspoon of turmeric or tomato purée into the water when cooking. 
  • If you run out of low protein rice before your next delivery, you can make ‘rice’ out of sturdy vegetables such as cauliflower, carrots, beetroot, pumpkin and sweet potato. Just grate them or pop them in the food processor and blitz to a rice-like texture. Then pop in the microwave in a bowl covered with cling film for 2-3 minutes or until soft. 
Low protein bread

Helpful hints for cooking low protein bread...

  • Adding psyllium husk to the recipe creates a spongy texture and makes it last longer. We have a delicious low protein bread recipe! 
  • Warm (but not hot) water is required to activate the dried yeast. 
  • Low protein bread can be stored in a freezer and used as and when required. 
  • A loaf of low protein bread, if placed in an airtight container, will last for about a week (the bread will dry out quicker than this if there is no psyllium husk used in the recipe). 
  • If required, refresh slices of bread by microwaving for 10 seconds in between pieces of kitchen roll. 
  • Adding herbs and spices to the dough creates flavoured bread i.e. dried basil, thyme or oregano. 
  • Bread machines make good low protein bread – just follow the manufacturer’s instructions. 
Low protein cakes

Helpful hints for cooking low protein Cakes...

  • Brown sugar (not demerara) creates a more moist texture than white sugar. 
  • Lemon or orange juice helps to flavour and colour cakes. 
  • Permitted fruit added into cakes provides texture and variety. 
Additional useful tips:

Some great tips for other PKU foods...

  • Vegetable soups freeze and keep well. 
  • Don’t freeze cooked spiralized veg – it won’t freeze well and will be soggy when defrosted/cooked. 
  • Batch cook lasagne, Bolognese sauce and ratatouille to have ready-made meals in advance. 
  • Frozen low protein food keeps about the same length of time as equivalent non-low protein frozen food. 
  • Make sure dishes are wrapped and protected well in the fridge/freezer to keep them at their best. 
  • Remember to label and date foods when freezing. 
Ballon, Pencil, a hand, a football and Stars illustrations

Learn more about PKU

< Return to Children Page
Managing the Diet
PKU and General Health
Living with PKU